See the Health Care Team TV Commercial

Protecting Freedom

A Soldier talks about tradition and protecting freedom.

Our military is so steeped in tradition that I would think that any Soldier at some point, when they hear certain songs and they don't see the stars and stripes waving, and they don't get that feeling in their heart or their throat? Something's wrong, something's wrong.

I've been doing this for a long time. Every now and then when I see the flag waving, and the sun's behind it, that just gives you that feeling, like "wow, I'm part of something much larger than myself."

The Army Values are just what I would consider just core characteristics of human beings. As well as being a Soldier, we should definitely hold ourselves to that higher standard and live these Army Values. Each and every one of them is just as important as the other.

As a leader, you have to show your Soldiers the importance of our mission. You have to realize that it's not just us, it's the big picture.

I really think there is no more honorable profession than to be a Soldier in today's Army. The amount of sacrifice and Selfless Service and Honor and Integrity that you see on a day-to-day basis of these young men and women doing incredible things and it really puts your life in perspective to know that there's still people out there doing the right thing over the wrong thing.

And I don't think the American people truly understand the amount of sacrifice that these young men and women have given to the idea of freedom and are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that people can enjoy that around the world.